ACES ON BRIDGE

Genius is the aptitude for seeing invisible things, for stirring intangible things, for painting things that have no features.

— Joseph Joubert

Undeterred by his partner’s failure to raise, West tried his luck with his long suit, spades, against three no-trump. Dummy’s ace won, East dropping the jack, and declarer attempted to establish his ninth trick by running the heart 10. Perhaps East should have put the king on that, in an effort to scramble declarer’s communications, but he played small, and West won with the queen.

Even at this early stage, West could infer a great deal about the hand. For South to bid three no-trump as a passed hand, he must have a good club holding, and that suit was probably solid, given that South had not played on clubs. What is more, if declarer had the diamond king, he would surely be attacking them.

There was a danger that declarer could run nine tricks on the go if he regained the lead, and therefore the defense needed to cash out immediately.

West sought to find his partner with the spade 10, perhaps suggested by his play at trick one, such that a spade return would pick up South’s queen. But if East had only two spades, as was likely, this defense would not be enough unless West could retain his outside entry. South would duck the spade 10 return, after all.

West thus found the winning defense of switching to the diamond two. East captured dummy’s queen with the king and switched back to the spade 10, which held. Now it was a simple matter of playing back a diamond for West to take the setting tricks.

BID WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Jump to three no-trump, and don’t bother with Stayman here.Your fourcard suit is poor, and you lack a ruffing value, both of which make playing four spades unattractive. The three small diamonds should not worry you unduly — they are partner’s problem. If you would like to contact Bobby Wolff, email him at

BOBBY WOLFF